XMen's Lullaby
by vivalamiichelle
Summary: When Jubilee run's into a strange new mutant will she be able to help her find something that has been lost to her for years, with the help of the X-men? OC-fic, based on the 90's cartoon.
1. Serenity

**Hey, This is my first X-Men fan-fic. I havent read any comics so this is strickly following the 90's series. No specific setting really, everybody is there ('cept for Morph) im going to do my best to make sure that all of the X-Men that we love are shown frequently, rahter then it being my OC with a single X-Man. No promises though I too have my favorites. Well read and review, constructive critisism is welcome, so are suggestions, flames arent. Really though, who welcomes flames? Dont forget to review ^-^**

_**Disclaimer: I do not own the X-Men yadda yadda, blah blah.**_

_I cant find her, do you know where she is? I've searched for so long but I still cant find her. Is she with you? Have you seen her?_

* * *

Serenity walked through the dark city streets, holding herself tightly as the cool winds blew through her. _Alone, again I'm alone _her thoughts whisper to her in the silence. She looked around in the surrounding darkness, _Jubilee - _the ever so silent thought trailed off as a soft hum escaped her lips. The airy light-hearted notes marched to the laboring-like beat of the melody, through alleys and past buildings to nearby roads and avenues. Somewhere blocks away the young X-girl stirred in her sleep as the whispers of Serenity's song played in her head.

An old man passed out on the steps of a dilapidated apartment complex, roused from his drunken slumber as Serenity moved past him. His eyes followed her as she went, unable to believe that such an angelic tune could be coming from this child.

"Go back to sleep," Serenity whispered, noticing the old man in his stupor "this song's not for you." With that the man laid his head back down and went to sleep.

Wolverine's eyes snapped open, Jubilee's sent weaseled its way under his door as she moved silently through the corridors.

"Jubilee?" he called opening the bedroom door, but the hall was empty. He sniffed the air following her sent through the mansion until he reached the front of the house.

"Logan?" said Jeans voice from behind him, he turned around to see Jean poking her head out from the kitchen.

"Jeanie, did ya see Jubilee pass through here?" he asked moving closer to the red head. He wasn't sure if it was her most recent scent, they do live in the same house together it could have just been an old scent wafting through the air.

"No, but I wasn't really paying to much attention." Wolverine looked into the kitchen and saw Scott getting out of his chair at the table, and moving towards his two teammates.

"I coulda' sworn I caught 'er sent a minute ago." Wolverine said scratching his bare chest.

"You think she left the mansion?" Scott asked.

"Dunno" Wolverine looked at the front door and back at Jean "Ya think ya coul-" She had already closed her eyes and was psychically searching the grounds for Jubilee. Jean furrowed her eyebrows in annoyance, then slowly opened her eyes.

"What is it?" Scott asked placing his hand on her shoulder.

"I-I don't know," she said rubbing her head "I can sense her but…it's strange I cant hear her thoughts, I think."

"Ya think? What's that mean?" Wolverine growled "Yer not sure if she's thinkin' ?" His eyes narrowed in confusion.

"I can see where she is but the voice in her head, I don't think its hers. Its like there is somebody else in her mind…singing to her."

"Singing?" Scotts asked.

"Well, where is she then?" Wolverine grumbled.

"Just outside the main gate, wait.." Jean closed her eyes again "there is somebody else out there with her…a girl." Wolverine growled louder and stalked towards the door.

"Jean go wake the other X-Men, and get them outside, we need to figure out what's going on." Scott turned and jogged out the door as Jean hurried to the dorms above.

"Jubilee" Serenity said as she came closer to her "C'mon lets go, we'll keep looking!"

"Huh what? What's going on? What are you doing here?" Jubilee said shaking her head. "How did I get out here?"

"Don't you remember? When we met earlier.. you said you wanted to come with me…and...help?"

"You-huh? Wait…wait, I remember something…" Jubilee shook her head as the memory burst to life.

_Rouge, Strom, and Jubilee had to make yet another trip to the electronics store to replace various items accidentally destroyed by Jubilee's powers. _

"_I'm really sorry about this guys" Jubilee said as she let out a long pitiful sigh_

"_It's okay darlin' we don't mind" Rouge said giving her a reassuring smile._

"_Ugh!" Jubilee moaned still upset with the lack of control she had on her powers "How is anybody ever going to trust me as an X-Man if I cant even turn the TV off without blowing it up!" _

"_Do not fret child, you will learn control one day." Storm chimed in as Jubilee crossed her arms and started to storm off to the music store, "Jubilee…" she added but Rogue put her hand up to stop the sympathetic X-woman._

"_Let 'er go sugah, she just needs to cool down some" with that Rogue and Storm hurried away to the electronics._

"_Stupid powers, stupid TV, stupid CD!" Jubilee mumbled as she dropped the CD in her hand onto the floor, before she could bend down to pick it up a young girl already had it in her hands and was holding out to Jubilee._

"_Here ya' go." She said, her hair was a light red-brown color that fell a little past her shoulders, she was average height for a, 14? 15? year old girl. She had big, muddy brown eyes, and pale skin._

"_Thanks" Jubilee grumbled._

"_I'm Serenity," said the other girl_

"_Jubilee…"_

"_You seem to be having a bad day?" Serenity commented on the scowl on Jubilees face._

"_Yea," she said a little defeated "you ever have one of those days where is feels like you just cant do anything right?" Serenity nodded._

"_So you like music?" she asked looking around the store_

"_Ya!" Jubilee said more excitedly, eager to start a long squealing conversation on the latest boy bands, she held up the CD that she had just dropped and started babbling about the lead singer being "sooo cute." Serenity nodded along and laughed at the right moments. "So what kind of music do you listen too Serenity?" Jubilee asked after she had laughed when she told her that the drummer nearly died in a car accident. Clearly that wasn't a joke…?_

"_Oh well, I like more classical music…" Serenity blushed a little, not many teenagers like the orchestra or opera, but when that's all you can hear playing in your head you develop a fondness for it._

"_Oh well, I should have guessed with a name like Serenity you probably grew up listening to fancy music huh?" Serenity blushed again "well I don't mean to say that you're a ritzy snob or anything, not that you are…wait…I..ugh, this just isn't coming out right…"_

"_That's ok, I know what you mean," Serenity cut in. "My parents weren't really rich, well I think they were at some point but not that I can remember. They use to love classical music, and orchestra, my mom would play it every night as she read to me. She even taught me to play the cello."_

"_Used to?" Jubilee prodded noticing the past tense._

"_That was before my dad died, he got really sick…" Serenity hung her head,_

"_I'm sorry I didn't mean to pry.." _

"_That's ok, I don't mind talking about it, it's part of the reason im here." Jubilee gave her a puzzled look. "After my dad died my mom kind of clung to me, I was all she had left, and then one day she disappeared after… well she just disappeared"_

"_Disappeared? what do you mean?" _

"_I don't know, I was at school one day, it was three years ago, and when I got home she was gone….I waited for her but she never came home…and I have been looking for her ever since"_

"_Wow…" Jubilee muttered, "three years? I want to help!" her face suddenly lit up, this was just the thing Jubilee needed to lift her spirits, a mission._

"_What?" Serenity asked, that was the first time anybody had ever offered to help her look for her mom before, most of the time they just told her how sorry they were for her, that was if she bothered to tell them her sad tale, which she rarely did…its not something that come up in normal conversation._

"_I'll help you look for her! I can do it! Me and the X-…. me and my friends do this sort of thing all the time, find people, help people!" Serenity smiled, _

"_Okay!" she said enthusiastically, -maybe I wont be alone anymore- her thoughts whispered. "I'll come get you guys later then?"_

"_No," Jubilees eyes widened "no, no, just me. I mean….hey I'm no kid, me and you can handle this ourselves…we don't need them!" she said as she remembered that mornings attempts to get into the Danger Room._

"_Sorry petite, maybe next time" Gambit said_

"_This aint' no place for kids." Wolverine growled slamming the door in her face._

"_Jubilee?" Storms voice called._

"_Gotta go Serenity, I'll see you later ok?" Jubilee said as she turned to run towards Storm and Rogue who were searching the store._

"_Call me Ren!" Serenity called back, listening to the soft marching tune Jubilee left._

"_What took ya' so long sugah?" Rogue asked._

"_Sorry, I uh had headphones on…" Jubilee lied._

"_Hey, did you hear it?" said a little girl, about 12 years old, as she passed, she had blonde hair and light green eyes_

"_Yea you were so right!" said her brunette friend "she came for me last night! The Lullaby came and nobody believes me!"_

"_I heard that Becky Reyner went out with it an-" the conversation trailed off as the women left the mall._

"_The Lullaby?" Storm asked, the others shrugged and they continued on their way back to the mansion_

"Ren!" Jubilee screeched "I remember now! We have to look for your mom! I didn't think you meant _now _though!" she looked around the dark lawn, "what time is it?"

"A little past two I think." Ren said offhandedly "now come on!" she reached out and grabbed her hand but Jubilee resisted.

"Wait, I know I said that I would help, but it's really late…I cant just leave." Jubilee looked a little scared.

"You said you wanted to help though" Ren cried, betrayed. _They all leave…_ her whispering thoughts taunted _why would she ever want to stay with you? You're a filthy mutant. They all go back. _

"I know, but I didn't think you meant in the middle of the night, how did you find me?"

"I thought you were different, I thought you would stay." _I was wrong._

"Well, maybe the professor can help?" Jubilee looked nervous, there was something about Ren that wasn't normal, not human anyway.

"No, nobody will help." _Im alone again. _Ren hung her head and turned to leave but walked right into something hard.

"Jubilee," it growled. _What's talking? _Ren thought, she shook her head and looked up, hovering above her was the shape of a short, hairy man. He was breathing heavily and three long metal knives? were shooting out of each hand.

"Oh.." Ren gasped, the mans eyes were wild, they scared her she jumped up to run but a taller man with a weird red visor grabbed her.

"Hold on," Cyclops said, Ren's lip quivered, she had trouble getting any note out.

"Jubilee, ya better start explainin'" Wolverine growled.

"Well…I uh…" Jubilee stammered, a lofty hum filled their ears, it was peaceful and serene.

"What's that?" Wolverine grumbled, the song was fading as Ren cowered in Scotts arms.

"It's coming from the girl." Jeans voice broke the confusion, she floated down in front followed by Rogue, Storm, and Gambit. To scared to do anything else Serenity concentrated and continued her song.

"That song…" Scott said

"Gambit tink he gunna' rest his eyes for a second…" he lowered his staff as Rogue and Storm landed on the ground and laid down.

"_Sleeep" _Ren whispered,

"What are ya' doin' to 'um?" Wolverine growled, he was resisting her. He sliced at Ren with his claws and she fell backwards barely dodging the razor sharp blades.

"Sleep!" she screeched starting the soft hum again.

"Noo" Wolverine protested throwing his hands over his ears "stay out of my head!" he lunged at Ren again but she easily side-stepped him, he was much slower now concentrating only on the melody in his head.

"Don't hurt her Wolverine!" Jean said, she was the only one other then Wolverine who seemed to be able to fight the hypnotic song. He ignored her, dead to anything but the thought of making the entrancing song go away.

"**Listen to me Ren, we want to help you**" Jeans voice rang in Ren's head, "**let us- UGH!**" she to was feeling the affects and was finding it hard to block the mind control.

"Jean!" Wolverine roared again as she fell to her knees overwhelmed by the sudden tiredness.

"Im fine Logan, I-," she yawned "I'm afraid that even with my telepathy I'm not strong enough to….resist…. That…beautiful…" Jean slumped the rest of the way to the floor and closed her eyes.

"Nooo!" Wolverine snarled glaring at Ren who had gotten to her feet and was starting to back away. She ran away as fast as she could, straight into the darkness.

_Why do I always have to be alone? Alone in the dark…nobody loves me, nobody searches for me, never. Mommy where are you _her thoughts torment her with images of mother as they whisper the one thing she will never speak aloud, _will I ever find you? Are you even still __**alive**__?_

Wolverines furious growls started to subside the farther Ren ran. The other X-Men slowly sat up dazed.

"Ugh, what 'appened mon amie?" Gambit asked rubbing the back of his neck.

"I do not know, I remember feeling so tired." Storm said helping Scott to his feet.

"Should we go aftah her?" Rogue asked.

"No.." Professor Xavier rolled out followed closely by Beast.

"Professor?" Jubilee questioned.

"Let her go,"

"We cant just let her roam around the city luring kids from their beds professor." Scott said.

"We wont, she's confused and scared, we need her to trust us and hunting her down wont help us gain her trust."

"This is all my fault" Jubilee groaned "I met her today in the mall, I didn't know she was a mutant."

"It's not your fault sugah" Rogue put her hand around Jubilees neck.

"But it is! She told me that she was looking for her mom, that she abandoned her. I wanted to help, I told her I _would _help, I just wanted to have my own mission."

"The poor child, she must be so lonely" Storm said.

"Storm, I want you and Rogue to follow her, we don't want her to manipulate anymore kids, I have heard rumors about a witch who kidnaps children for a night." Professor Xavier thought silently for a moment.

"Let me go with them professor!" Jubilee said.

"I don't know about that Jubilee" Scott warned.

"She's my friend!" Jubilee whined.

"She's right, Rogue take her with you, if you find her contact the mansion immediately." Storm leapt into the air and Rogue grabbed Jubilee who wrapped her arms around her neck.

"Woah!" she yelled.

"Hold on sugah!"

"Why Gambit get 'da feeling 'dat 'dis is gunna be a long night?" Gambit said as he walked back though the gates into the mansion.

* * *


	2. The Runaway

**(A/n- Okay this chapter is also a bit on the slower side, but hey its only the second chapter and I am still introducing Ren ^-^ please review I love reviews! Especially good ones *nudge nudge*)**

**So I tried to do something a little different to explain Ren's powers fully. I was never really a fan of the whole "I just met Xavier and since hes a telepath and can read my mind I trust him fully and am going to blurt out my lifes story!" …thing. So let me know what you think**

**Disclaimer- I do not own the X-men **

**Chapter 2**

_Alone, again. She lied to me, I thought that she wanted to help me, she said that she did. I thought she was going to stay with me and help me find her. I was wrong, wrong, wrong, always wrong, always alone. _Her hushed thoughts jeered, Ren ran through the empty streets looking into the dark windows of homes. _Happy, they are all happy inside their homes, with their families, why cant I ever be happy? _The porch lights of a nearby house snapped on and the front door quietly opened. A young boy about Ren's age snuck out carefully closing the door behind him. Ren stopped as she watched the boy slowly tip-toe his way away from the house.

"Where are you going?" Ren asked, the boy swung around, the backpack on his shoulder whipping behind him.

"Who are you?" the boy asked squinting into the darkness.

"Where are you going?" Ren repeated.

"None of your business," the boy turned away from Ren and continued his stealthy escape.

"I'm Ren" she said jogging up next to him, answering the boys question. He was tall, taller then Ren anyway, maybe 5'9" with dark brown hair that stood up in every direction.

"Good for you" he grumbled.

"What's your name?" he paused and stared down at her walking next to him

"Max"

"Where are you going?" she asked again.

"Away," he replied flatly. Ren scanned his face he looked upset, but his song was much different then his current attitude. It was loud, and fast, tough, but beautiful. Like the song you hear when the hero realizes that he can win the battle, and does. She could tell that he was not the type to just runaway.

"Are you running away?" she asked looking at the backpack draped over his shoulder.

"Yea" he grunted, avoiding eye contact.

"Why?"

"Why are you following me?" he snapped.

"Why are you running away?" she repeated. Max scowled.

" 'Cuz I want to, why do you care?"

" 'Cuz I want to." Max sighed and walked faster, Ren jogged after him again "Are you a mutant?" Max stopped.

"What makes you say that?" he cocked his eyebrow and Ren smiled up at him.

"I can sense it" she wasn't completely lying…she could sense something different with his song, a strange vibration in the notes, which most mutants had, but then again…so did most infants. Max didn't say anything "well, are you?" she prodded.

"Are you?" he asked speed walking again.

"Yes." Max was taken aback.

"Oh, well…" he went quiet.

"What can you do?" she assumed his silence was a yes. He glanced at Ren, back to the ground, then back at Ren. He stopped walking and bent down picking up a rose from somebody's front yard, he looked around and moved under the nearest streetlight, Ren skipped eagerly behind him.

"Watch," he said as he twirled the stem between his fingers, as it picked up speed and started to blur Ren noticed that the flower was starting to change colors. From where Max's fingers touched and up, it was turning yellow? No, not yellow. Gold. He started to slow it down and the now solid gold rose shone bright under the streetlight.

"Woah…" Ren's mouth dropped.

"Here," he grunted thrusting the flower into her hands.

"Thanks" Ren smiled, Max blushed and started to walk, slower this time. Ren ripped a long thin piece of her sweatshirt off and wrapped it around the gold thorns, and tucked the flower behind her ear.

"What about you?" Max asked.

"What?" she asked moving her hands away from her hair.

"Your, uh power.."

"Oh! Well I can, sing." It was Ren's turn to blush.

"That's not a power!" Max said indignantly.

"I can sing really well?" she tried again, Max glared at her.

"And when I sing I can hypnotize people and make them do what ever I want." Max looked shocked and Ren smiled again.

"Well, that's…cool.." he was a little worried, what if she hypnotized him?

"Yea, well its more like hum, wanna see?"

"Uhhh.." he hesitated.

"No, don't worry I wont use it on you. I can control it" she chuckled.

"Okay."

"Follow me." The two young mutants walked until they saw a 24 hour diner. "Perfect there should be people in there." Max followed her skeptically, come on, mind control? Really? The bell chimed as they walked inside and took a seat at a booth.

"Well?" Max asked cockily. Ren narrowed her eyes and started the soft, serene, hum from before. The waitress, who was on her way to their booth stopped in her tracks, the two truckers at the counter lowered their forks, and the chef in the back put his spatula down, and listened. Max watched wide eyed, the song was amazing, so beautiful.

"You're doing that?" He asked shocked, the music sounded more like it was playing from a CD or by a professional orchestra rather then a 15 year old girl humming. She nodded and finished her song. The chef continued cooking, the truckers kept eating, and the waitress continued over to the booth. "That's it?"

"What can I get 'ya?" the blonde asked.

"Cheeseburger please, with a Pepsi." Ren said and looked at Max.

"Oh, I…I don't have that much money, I have some but I kinda wanted to save it…" Max mumbled embarrassed.

"Don't worry about it!" Ren squealed, pleased "It's all free!" Max looked up at the waitress, "right?" she added to the girl.

"Of course." Max looked back at Ren.

"Is this the-"

"Yupp, watch" her smile widened "hello" she called to the truckers "can I have your bacon?" she asked. The two men looked at each other then nodded getting up and bringing their plates over to their corner. Max watched them scrape the food onto Ren's napkin and walk back to the counter.

"Jeez…" he squeaked, Ren smirked.

"So what do you want?" she asked

"Oh, um...chocolate chip pancakes?" he questioned.

"Okay" the waitress said and turned around.

"With hash browns! and bacon! and orange juice!" Max called. Ren giggled.

"Don't worry she'll get it."

"That's so cool." Max was in awe.

"So, why are you running away?" Ren asked again.

"Oh…because." Ren glowered. "My parents" he admitted.

"They find out about you? Being a mutant I mean?" she asked sympathetically.

"No, its not like that, they said that they understood…but." Ren was confused, if they understood then why leave? "They look at me different now. I figured I would leave before they _did _kick me out." The waitress came back with their food and Max thanked her.

"No problem" she said walking away.

"So you just left?" Ren was shocked, he had a family, one that loved him and understood and he was just throwing that all away?

"What else could I do?" Max poked at his pancake "besides, what if the FOH found out that my parents had a mutant for a son? They own their own business, they don't need that kind of trouble"

"It's strange, I didn't figure you for a quitter, that's not your song." Ren took a bite of her burger.

"My song?"

"MmHmm, weww, pepoe dey 'ave dere own" she swallowed "songs, like if I don't want to control a whole crowd of people, like how I made the whole diner listen to me with that one tune, well like if I wanted just you to do what I wanted," Max flinched at the though. "Not that I would, well anyway, people have their own melody, no two are the same, they may be similar but they are always different in some way. Also I can use it at greater distances, not like _miles _or anything but a few blocks." she took a sip of her pepsi "Well anyway, the song usually reflects the persons personality, and your song doesn't sound like somebody easily defeated."

"What does mine sound like then?" Max asked curious. Ren thought, it really was very difficult to explain.

"More like, the reluctant hero." Max cocked his eyebrow again. "This is so hard to explain, trust me though its to powerful for you to just give up." Max sighed.

"So your saying I should go back?" Ren took another sip of her Pepsi, _what are you doing? _Her thoughts whispered _he could stay with you, you wont ever have to be alone again. _Max was staring at her, his bright blue eyes were so sad. _Tell him no! tell him to leave and come with you, tell him that he can help find mom, and you can stay together with her._

"Yea," Ren nodded. _What are you doing?_

"What do I do if they decide that they _do _want me gone?" _Tell him he's right, he's better off leaving...with you!_

"I don't know, all I know is your song." _You idiot! You're ruining everything, do you want to be alone? _Max smiled and the two finished their meals in silence. When they were done they got up and headed for the door, Max looked behind him but nobody tried to stop them to make them pay the bill.

"How long are they going to…you know…listen to you?" he asked, Ren laughed.

"Not much longer, when I get farther away they'll be ok…confused, but ok."

"Ren?"

"Mm?"

"Why are you all alone?" She was caught off-guard.

"Huh?" She asked shoving her hands into her pocket.

"Don't you have a family?"

"No…" She looked away.

"What happened to them?" _Don't tell him, its none of his business._

"They're gone." _Lost in the dark. _"They ran away?" Max smirked at his joke.

"Yea," Ren laughed pathetically. "You know what people call me?" she asked breaking a long silence.

"What?"

"The Lullaby Witch" Max laughed.

"Why's that?" he asked

"They say I lour kids out of bed and try to kidnap them away" she was smiling

"Do they now?" he joked.

"Mmhm, I also eat your soul and turn it into another bead on my necklace" she held up the multi-colored necklace around her neck.

" Well if you are a witch who, what was it? Eats children's souls?" she nodded playing along. "Then why is it that you are walking me back to my house, after ambushing me?" he half teased.

" 'Cuz, you deserve to be happy," _Who cares about his happiness? What about me?!._

"Thanks," he said seriously.

"For?"

"Telling me to go back, I think that's all I really needed…one person to tell me to quit being a baby."

"Yea well, if I catch you sneaking out again I really will eat your soul," they laughed as Max's house came into view.

"Well, this is my stop," Max looked at Ren "so, what will you do now? Where will you go?"

"To find my family."

"They really did run away didn't they?" understanding crept into Max's mind, they left her when they found out she was a mutant, he'd bet anything.

"Yea, but I'll find her, I'll just follow her song."

"Good night." Max went to leave but Ren grabbed onto his shirt.

"Wait!" Max stopped "can you wait? Until the sun comes up?"

"Okay?" Max was bewildered.

"I don't like to be alone in the dark." she explained

"Why?"

"I-" _Don't tell him, he's leaving too, he wont care. Let him go home safe and sound back to his parents. _"I was alone, for so long after my mom left me…after a while the lights went out, and then i was just dark in the house." Max looked at her compassionately and nodded.

"You know, I don't think that you happened to stumble upon me by chance."

"What do ya mean?" she asked.

"I think it was fate that we met, you probably saved me from whatever it was I was getting myself into."

"Maybe…" she smiled and took the flower out from behind her ear, playing with it as her and Max talked quietly while the sun came up.

**Okay so that was chapter 2, so everybody say goodbye to Max *waves goodbye* we wont be seeing him again. He was just somebody who I created so I could better explain Ren…now that you know almost everything about her…back to the X-Men!!**

**Sorry there was no X- I promise the next chapter will be X-tastic! And I will overload you with all the X-Men we love!**


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